Ex-PGMOL boss: Tottenham star should be on referees' 'radar' after what he did vs Aston Villa
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Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has warned that Xavi Simons should now be firmly on referees’ “radar” after the Tottenham star’s conduct in the FA Cup defeat to Aston Villa. In his view, Simons is in danger of earning a reputation that will influence how officials manage him in future games.
Hackett highlights a key incident in which Simons was seen repeatedly contesting decisions and attempting to influence the referee, behaviour that Hackett believes crossed the line from normal player dissent into something officials will remember. He argues that once a player becomes known for persistent complaining, exaggeration of contact or attempts to sway decisions, referees inevitably approach that player with added caution, consciously or not.
The former referees’ boss explains that modern officials are extensively briefed on player behaviour and are encouraged to track patterns across matches. As a result, Simons’ actions against Villa are unlikely to be treated as an isolated flashpoint. Instead, they will be logged and discussed, meaning that any similar conduct in upcoming fixtures will be scrutinised more quickly and may draw faster disciplinary responses.
Hackett does not dispute Simons’ talent or importance to Tottenham but argues that the midfielder must quickly adjust his conduct if he wants to avoid more bookings and fewer marginal decisions going his way. Once a player is tagged as someone who goes to ground easily, contests every call or surrounds the referee, Hackett notes, the benefit of the doubt tends to disappear.
The article frames this as a crucial moment in Simons’ adaptation to English football. Tottenham need his creativity and drive, but Hackett believes their staff should also be working with him on how he communicates with officials. If he fails to change, the piece suggests, Simons risks carrying a damaging label that could follow him throughout his Premier League and cup campaigns.